


two kings and a drinking horn

by solitariusvirtus



Series: courtships and such [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: A bit of a light read, A sliver of darkness, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Courtly love on its head, Courtship, F/M, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Not Serious
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2018-09-15 02:18:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9214568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solitariusvirtus/pseuds/solitariusvirtus
Summary: Princes and princesses might well deal in love and romance, kings, however, have little time for such foolishness. Especially when the Princess in question is the infuriating and frankly impossible daughter of the King in the North. And now she's destroying his trade. Rhaegar will not stand for it. In fact, he'll hie himself to that frozen hell's realm and shake her wits back into her head.AU! A headstrong Princess and her old line meet a most alarming fate when she unwisely goads the ire of a neighbouring King.





	1. i.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resounding silence reigned supreme in the great hall of Winterfell, hundreds of eyes peeled upon the high bench. Behind a long mahogany table covered in pristine cloth, a drinking horn, polished to perfection, shone with the dim glow plastered upon its fine cone, the last drops of bright claret falling upon sooth-raven tresses plastered to an equally crimson face. The hand holding high the drinking horn was attached to the slender arm of a heaving maiden, daughter to the host. “Gods forbid,” her thin, quivering voice shattered the spell binding all those under the King’s roof into silence, “that you should ever be forced to endure an ungrateful wife besides. I shall take off your hands that task and spare you then.”

The man still seated, dripping bright red upon the floors, sputtered an incomprehensible response to the passionate declaration. He cleared his throat, rising. “My lady, you mistook my meaning.” Bright blue eyes remained firmly fixed upon the rose-cheeked maiden. “I meant simply that–“

“That my daughter should be grateful for the honour you do her?” Though the female reacted not to the man speaking from the seat behind hers, the lord himself was too upon his feet. “I do believe ‘tis an honour we can do without.”

Incredulous, the young man did not shy away from a blood-rousing exclamation, “An honour you can do without, after having paid to me her dowry in full?” The collective gasp of the gathering crowd crackled through the vast chamber, all the breath of the hall waiting to see how the injurious revelation would be countered.

Lyanna, brave daughter, turned her back upon her betrothed. “You placed my dowry into his hands? As though we’d already spoken vows?” Even stronger, her voice still trembled with uncertainty, painful upon the ear. Returning her gaze to the enemy, she hissed, “Keep my dowry, syrrah, for I presume your need for it is very great indeed and be off with you.” Red-faced, the fair maiden kept her shield drawn high.

A murmur broke out among the gathered kins- and bannermen. The haughty Lady Lyanna had struck once more; yet it seemed a somewhat special occurrence for her father, instead of secreting her away from the burning sight of the party, stood with her. The Young Wolf rose as well, one hand upon the shoulder of the Baratheon heir. The maiden dropped the drinking horn, allowing the fine work to be chipped and sullied. A final insult to end hopes for a parting on good terms. ‘Twas just as well for many a man’s bid had been that the King’s sole daughter would do as she’d done to those before her and drive Robert Baratheon away.

“This is no manner to keep your oaths. I was promised a bride and by the gods, I shall have one, else there will be bloodshed.” At those words angry yells sprang forth from the bannermen. “Break peace with me and you shall regret it.” 

“You will sour our waters, eh, or?” the King in the North mocked, his men roaring with laughter. “These walls do not fall at the stab of a stag’s horn. I rescind invitation into my home and at my hearth, Lord Baratheon, and may we never see one another again. For the love I bore your good father, you walk away unscathed this day. But from hereon forth, the North is to you a land of fright, where neither friends nor allies await you with open arms. Away, churl!”

The Wolf’s men joined in, the chorus nothing short of maddening. The cacophony of voices overlapping rose high. The gods themselves would have heard had they open ears to the din.

Seeing no alternative, the man squared his shoulder and with proud gait climbed down from his place at the high table. His followers, who had gathered in a small group of their own dared not draw sword. The Northerners were many more. After all, if their lord had seen fit to somehow injure the Princess’ pride, he ought to have known her thorns were sharp and painful to prickle himself upon. 

Robert threw one last look at the ghostly creature nestled within the tight circle of her kin, watching her eyes narrow and sling arrows his way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“This is the last time I allow for such behaviour,” Rhaegar warned his brother, fingers moving against the cords of his harp irritably. The pinched sound he drew forth from the instrument crawled its way against walls and floors bouncing off the thick carpets like the crack of a whip. “Our sister could have been gravely injured. Leave it be.”

“But the witch said it would work,” Viserys insisted, mutinously glowering at him from his own seat. “Do you not want us to have our dragons, brother?”

He sighed against the telltale pulsation of pain. “Daenerys is more precious than the ramblings of an old crazed woman. Best you keep than in mind when you next decide to go ahunting.” Rhaegar paused to draw in breath, moving his hand with more care over the strings. “I know you mean well.”

The scowled eased. “I did not think she would truly do it,” his brother finally admitted. “I will offer apology if Dany will hear it. To mother as well,” he completed before Rhaegar could suggest. At the very least Viserys knew his duty.

Satisfied with that, Rhaegar nodded. He allowed his brother to be off, thinking with no amount of great anticipation that before long there would be another scandal to worry over. At the very least for the time being his sister was well, if a bit bruised, and his mother would rest easy, if a bit suspicious.

There was still the matter of the witch though. He supposed he had to dole out some manner of punishment. It was much too late to do aught about his sister’s ill-advised confession before half a hundred pairs of eyes.

At times he wished he’d been born the younger brother. It would be so much easier. And less lonely. Alack, no such blessings for him. 

The door opened to admit his lady mother. The woman gave him a long look. “He wasted no time in offering words of apology. There are times when I wonder from whom you’ve learned to be so efficient. Your sister is better now. She insists upon stumbling about her bedchamber though and naught I say will stop her.”

She was trying to distract him. “I have to punish her, lady mother. If I allow her to remain, there will be talk.”

“If you punish her there will be more. Your grandfather promised her she would always have a place in our home. It is your duty to see his wishes fulfilled.” She did not sit. Instead, Rhaella walked around him, placing a hand upon his shoulder. Tension tightened muscles. “And it is mine to remind you of this oft. You cannot punish her.”

“What if the next time she costs you your daughter? Would you be speaking just as calmly then?” He hadn’t meant to insult her, as he perceived to have done at the draw of her breath, but it had gone on far enough.

“And where did you learn all this cruelty from? I did not teach it to you.”   

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

      

Stannis gave his cousin a bland look. “I cannot speak for him, Your Grace, but it seems to me father took issue with the outcome.” He helped her over the rougher patch, enduring the clumsy grip she exerted on his arm. “I do not envy your brother the task which has been set out before him.”

Cousin Dany shifted her weight on her other leg. “You should have been the one to woo the Princess. I daresay your milder countenance would have mellowed her some. Do you know, I heard she refused to even to see him.”

“That cannot be laid at her feet. The Princess indeed saw him. As I said before, I know not the cause of this spiteful row between them, but my brother swears she insulted him and her father claims she has been the one insulted.”

“And our trade suffers for it. How much better would it be if the two of them could duel and be done with it? But nay, princesses do not wield weapons.” A grim smile curled her lips. “And the King in the North shan’t send his son to do it either.”

“If he weds Catelyn Tully, we shall have an unsafe soldier in our ranks. This is all turning out into quite the mess.”  

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Faith urges us to find peaceful solution,” Brandon ventured, eyeing his father. The man, still seated upon his carved throne, was reading the parchment with great care. “There is much writing being done in all keeps over the land. If trade withers, we cannot thrive either. It seems to me that it would be prudent to reach out to Lord Lannister, father.”

“And have what of him? You have met young Jaime yourself and spoke of his disinterest for all of ruling nature. If we give them Lyanna, they will find cause to hold back on account of Lady Cersei. Nay, the matter cannot be settled in this manner.”

“Then what do you suggest?” the heir questioned. “My sister cannot take back her behaviour anymore than the sun can help from rising. And Robert Baratheon has been too deeply insulted to ever consider accepting her apology if you managed to convince her of its necessity.”

“Dorne.” His father brushed a hand over his face. “If we can manage it.”

“The merchants would still not be pleased.” Then again, Lyanna had left them all little choice. “To whom should we give her?”

“We’ve only so much choice,” Rickard Stark grumbled. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

   

At this rate, he would be deep in a sea of parchments filled with complaints before he could lift a finger. Rhaegar held back an annoyed sound and raised his hand. Silence befell Jon Connington. “Tell me the King is not truly considering armed conflict over this.”

“I hope he is not,” Connington offered after a brief pause on his part, “but I cannot discredit the idea completely. I did manage find out more about that faithful encounter. It seems careless words on the part of Ser Robert caused this conflict to deepen and expand in such a way as to make negotiation impossible.”

“You are certain?” he pressed.

“Other lords have tried to wed the maiden before. While they have been refused, it was done in such a manner as to preserve a dignified relationship between both parties. I have even spoken to several of the Princess’ past suitors. They say the maiden was not amenable but neither did she smash drinking horns at the mere sight of them. Might be, it would be wise to intervene before the situation slips out of control.”   

Good gods, another problem he had no need of.

“Very well. I shall give it some thought.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dayne gave him a disinterested look. Why, again, had he allowed the jester amid his councilors? Rhaegar supposed he’d been inebriated, or crazed, or otherwise unable to tell the grave mistake of such a move. And then it was much too late to take it back. He scowled at his friend’s decidedly unhelpful loitering. “I am so very close to ordering your head taken off,” he warned.

“Do you want to know what I think?” Arthur said as though the threat fazed him none. Might be it did not.

“You will tell me even if I deny it.” Rhaegar propped his feet atop the desk, leaning back in his chair until it balanced on its hind legs.

“Because you want to know,” his companion insisted with a small grin. “I think you’re curious.  You want to know what sort of woman could possibly refuse Robert.”

“Actually, I was wondering what sort of madwoman smashed her drinking horn into her suitor’s face.” And he was just a little bit curious as to why she’d done it. Damn Dayne for knowing him so well. His scowl deepened.

“Don’t take on so; good may yet come of this.”  That he should dearly like to see. Else he’d wrap his hands around that she-wolf’s throat and wring her neck himself. Years of peace down the drain for the whims of a girl.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. VERY IMPORTANT

Hi everyone,

Sol here. So, I’m sure you’ve heard about the new link-tax and copyright reform the EU is looking to introduce into the member states of the union. To those of you who haven’t or are not from the EU, basically this new piece of legislation is looking into regulating all activities dependent on content (be it videos, songs, news articles, books etc). They would do that by monitoring what the users of a platform post and if copyrighted content is determined to be used, it would be considered criminal activity.

The only way it wouldn’t be deemed criminal activity is if the users paid a tax (hence why we call it a link-tax).

The vote will be held on the 20th of June and in case the law gets passed, I think it’s obvious I won’t be able to post anymore on any platform (be it this or FF.net or some other site). So what happens is this: I am starting to archive all of my fics. Those of you who want to request a certain fic can find me here.

Further updates information is: here.

Questions are welcome, but for discretion’s sake, sensitive ones are better posted on discord, or if you must on my e-mail address.

Thank you for your time and sorry to bring you somewhat unpleasant news.

P.S. Every story with more than 20 subs will get a post like this. If you’ve read one, you’ve read them all. I’ll take them down after the 20th.

**Author's Note:**

> I just want Rhaegar to give the ol' William the Conqueror method of courtship a go.


End file.
